Soviet Naval Battles - Black Sea during WW2 (re-done)

22-23 June 1941Battle of Danube (or Tulcea).The clashes on Danube river on the first days of war are still with unclear results and poor information. Romanians deployed their riverine monitors and claims that Basarabia and Mihail Kogalniceanu clashed in two consecutive days against their soviet rivals. They claimed to have hit at least 3 soviet monitors, 2 patrol boats, 1 tug and to have sunk another patrol boat.Actually they clashed against the monitors Rostovtsev, Zhemchuzhin and Zheleznakov supported by small BK gunboats.The first engagement has more details: Romanians shelled the soviet bank (with unclear effects, also shelling civilian areas) to focus later on the soviet monitors. Zheleznakov suffered moderate damages after a near miss, the soviet units returned fire even if they mostly focused on ground targets (batteries).There are even less details about the skirmish on day 23 June, but soviet units suffered no damage.There are not clear details for now about the Romanian evaluation of the soviet fire.The operations on Danube river ended by August: most of the soviet units managed to reach the open sea and overcome the Romanian attempts to prevent it (such block was attempted only with batteries).

Painting of Zheleznakov.

25-26 June 1941Romanian sources claim their old riverine patrol boats V-1 and V-3 engaged a group of three Soviet 1125 class gunboat, claiming one of them hit and subsequently grounded, abandoned and captured (renamed as V-7). Actually, the whole accident appear a fabricated event: V-7 and sister-ship V-8 designed and built in Romania only in 1943. The only Soviet 1125 loss in Danube with a similar fate was BK-204, grounded after Romanian ground artillery on 28 June and later recovered by Romanians as V-12.

26 June 1941. Battle of ConstantaIn Black Sea, the Soviet Navy did not wait an enemy attack and the Soviet Navy led directly a naval force against the main Romanian harbor. Soviet cruiser Voroshilov sailed alongside leader destroyers Moskva and Kharkov, destroyers Soobrazitelnyi and Smyshlyonyi.Only leader destroyers Moskva and Kharkov fired 350 shells of 130mm (35 volleys in 10 minutes) against land’s targets causing damages on train lines. Suddenly appeared the two Romanian destroyers NMS Regina Maria and NMS Marasti that started to fire against Kharkov and Moskva helped by a German coastal artillery of 280mm.Under such combined fire Kharkov suffered damages by the German artillery; Romanian claimed to have hit the Kharkov (or the Moskva) but their gunfire’ range was too much short to effectively reach the Soviet warships. While Moskva and Kharkov moved away, suddenly the Moskva sunk on a defensive field of mines. Kharkov joined the other ships, the only other damage of this battle was a splinter on the Voroshilov’s hull caused by the explosion of a mine against the Soobrazitelnyi‘s paravane (anti-mine shield). Despite the loss of the Moskva, the raid had an impact on the Romanians and their four destroyers never tried again to face in battle the Soviet warships (or attacking Soviet convoys, while Soviet ships tried to carry this kind of operation at least 3 times). This battle was the only destroyers vs destroyers engagement in Black Sea during the conflict: the Soviet side didn't reacted to the enemy fire (it seems that the two leader destroyers misidentified also the enemy destroyer's fire as coastal artillery's fire). Until today, it's generally considered that the Moskva was sunk by the mines, while the German coastal artillery was responsible of moderate damage on Kharkov and Romanian destroyers achieved nothing.Participation of Romanian motor torpedo boats, while claimed by some Romanian sources is another mistake and they never committed attack against the Soviet units.Other theories like involvement of Soviet submarine ShCh-206 (either torpedoing Moskva in friendly-fire incident and/or being sunk by Soviet depth charges) are also completely mistaken. Commander of Moskva was POW: he later escaped and joined partisans but died in action.Romanian propaganda claimed to have imparted a moral victory on Soviets, alluding to have made sure that Soviet main units could not operate again so close to their waters: this is actually false (following operations will kept on until 1942) while it's true the opposite because the Romanian navy never attempted again to use their destroyers against such soviet raids.

Painting of the bombing

Kharkov

7 July 1941Soviet gunboats Krasnaya Gruziya and Krasnyy Adzharistan laid a field of mines southeast Odessa. They scored two victories:1 December 1941: was sunk the Romanian merchant Cavarna (3495 GRT) with a cargo of fuel.2 December 1941: was sunk the German merchant Cordelia (1357 GRT) with a cargo of gasoline.Both ships previously assigned to the field laid by Soviet destroyers Smyshlyonyy and Bodryy.

Next year (on 29 April 1942) German MFP F-130 struck an old soviet drifting mine, and beached with heavy damage (later recovered). Older sources claimed mine from submarine L-4, but while identity is uncertain, it wasn’t from the submarine.

July 1941Before leaving Danube estuary, soviet small gunboats (1125 class) laid mines. After one year, on 28 August 1942, the Romanian tug Smardan sunk on one of such mine that survived minesweeping.

13-14 July 1941Romanian sources report two subsequent engagements of monitor Mihail Kogalniceanu against Soviet monitor, the second time identified as the powerful Udarnyy. With 2 direct hits scored on the Soviet ship and none suffered. Actually Udarnyy never engaged a Romanian monitor in battle (nor suffered similar damages before sinking by German aircraft) and no such battle is recorded by Soviet sources.

Smolensk was the former Polish monitor Krawkow (the largest Polish ship seized by Soviets in 1943).

18 September 1941Close Odessa, Romanian motor torpedo boat NMS Viscolul and NMS Vijelia accomplished the only Romanian MTB torpedo attack of the war. Wartime Axis wrongly sources claimed sinking, while post-war describe a damage or dud hit against a “destroyer” but at real no hit achieved. Modern evaluation identify the attacked ship as merchant Anton Chekhov (2625 GRT), with torpedo passing under the hull.

11 October 1941The first victim of soviet mines (many placed south Odessa and close enemy coast) was the German auxiliary minesweeper FR-12, sunk on a small field laid by the Soviet schooner Chaika on 29 August.

16 October 1941Soviet submarine M-35 had the first of two surface engagements on the same month. The first time after having missed a convoy of armed barges with torpedoes, was involved into a gun battle, while the enemy armed barge SF-96 shot a single shell of 88mm that missed, SF-225 fired with 20mm but the gun barrel exploded by accident and wounded 7 men.

On that same day, Soviet minesweeper T-404 Shchit (Fugas-class) laid a field of 50 mines inside Odessa harbor. Most mines later swept, but one harbor tug struck one of them on 22 April 1942 and sunk.

26 October 1941Soviet submarine M-35 took revenge after the first clash. She attacked a similar barge convoy and during a gunfire battle of 27minutes, M-35 fired 110 shells of 45mm without taking damage and claiming 4 hits on the barge SF-35. Enemy attempted to tow away the barge but due the stormy weather, she was totally lost and sunk. Sometimes is wrongly said that SF-25 was sunk, while SF-36 suffered damges (that's incorrect). Submarine survived at war and scored two further victories with torpedoes.

24 and 25 October 1941Soviet minesweepers T-404 Shchit and T-408 Yakor (both of Fugas class) had laid a field of mines (on the same 24 October) that cause the following losses:On day 24 October was sunk the Romanian minesweeping boat D (German Drossel, on lease). On day 25 October was sunk the Romanian minesweeping boat B (German Brusterort, on lease), together with the German minelayer Theresia Wallner.

The Theresia Wallner was the only German minelayer active in Black Sea: even if she wasn't a large warship (could carry only 30 mines) , her loss was important because it forced the defensive naval minelaying operations to be carried mostly by the Romanian Navy.

The next year, on 3 June 1942, German MFP F-145 (cargo of oil) sunk on a mine laid on 20 October 1941 by Soviet minesweeper T-405 Vzryvatel (Fugas class). Previously the loss was believed by German air-dropped mines.

Also it was successful another field laid by the two destroyers Smyshlyonyy and Bodryy. On their mines were sunk:9 November 1941: was struck the Hungarian merchant Ungvar (961 GRT), that exploded with a cargo 141tons of gasoline barrels and 916tons of aviation bombs.The two Romanian motor torpedo boat NMS Viforul and NMS Vijelia attempted to help the Ungvar, but they were lost (sunk on other mines of the field, or destroyed by the sudden explosion of Ungvar).

3 June1942First clash between small units has the soviet patrol boat SKA-026 attacking a pair of motorboats without results.

9 June 1942The only torpedo hit scored by a motor torpedo boat against a soviet major warship in Black Sea was done by the Italian assault boat MTSM-216 against the soviet destroyer Svobodnyi. The torpedo however didn't exploded and the destroyer neither noticed the attack or the Italian boat (the MTSM believed the target was the Italian-built leader destroyer Tashkent).

10 June 1942During a failed attack against a soviet convoy, the Italian motor torpedo boat MAS-570 strafed with machine gun fire the main deck of the Fugas-class minesweeper T-410 Vzryv that however suffered no casualties.

13 June 1942The first successful action of a Soviet MTB in Black Sea it's possibly among the best successes. Just after an air raid in Yalta harbor, the motor torpedo boat D-3 (first ship of the class that have the same designation, this single unit didn't got a standard "TK-number" designation) managed to sail alone close the entrance and launch the torpedoes. She hit and sunk the Italian little submarine CB-5. There were no casualties (crew was on ground). This action, followed by an air raid days later that heavily damaged other two CB units, deprived the Axis forces of 50% of their submarine potential employed during the Sevastopol blockade.

Photo of D-3, lead boat of her class and also the only of them active in Black Sea. She was a very active unit, sometimes in mission together the SM-3 (the lead boat of a rival class that wasn't produced).

Beautiful color-photo of a midget submarine CB on Black Sea. Such submarines lacked the needed autonomy, but they managed to score the only submarine vs submarine sinking in Black Sea when CB-4 torpedoed and sunk the soviet submarine ShCh-203 in August 1943.

18 June 1942The two Italian motor torpedo boats MAS-571 and MAS-570 had a clash against a convoy of motorboats to Sevastopol with supplies. Despite the MAS claimed two targets badly damaged (and possibly sunk) this isn't confirmed, while on MAS-571 the commander was mortally wounded.That night also a not identified MTSM was chased close the coast by the two soviet motor torpedo boats SM-3 and D-3: the two soviet units reported some light damages and 2 KIA and 2 WIA. They believed to have fought against coastal forces because the MTSM sailed close the coast. While it is difficult to clarify details of this battle, it quite possible the MAS actually engaged SM-3 and D-3.During that night the Italians reported other 2 WIA (apart the loss of commander of MAS-571) but it's unclear on which units. Also during that same night, the Italian small submarine CB-2 has a surface meeting with soviet small unarmed boats: yet they carried weapons and the sailors opened fire scoring bullet hits on the tower of the submarine that dived.

19 June 1942A pair of Italian MAS attacked on surface the soviet submarine ShCh-214 that was leaving Sevastopol with passengers. The MAS-571 torpedoed and sunk the submarine that was sunk with crew and passengers (only 2 sailors were captured, one of them escaped, joined partisans, and survived at war). It was the only soviet submarine clearly lost on surface in Black Sea, also it was the only Soviet one sunk by MTB with torpedo during the war.At the time of the sinking, the ShCh-214 was the best soviet submarine for achieved number of victories (six: one tanker and 5 schooners sunk).

On the same day, German motor torpedo boat S-102 torpedoed and sunk the Soviet merchant Belostok (2048 GRT).

3 July 1942Battle of Ai-TadorDuring the last phase of the evacuation of Sevastopol, the patrol boats SKA-0112 and SKA-0124 carried troops including also General Novikov. The German motor torpedo boats S-28, S-40, S-42 and S-102 attacked them during a bloody engagement at close-range. Both the soviet sunk. Germans captured 37 men between sailors and soldiers, including Novikov (he will later escape from prison and will join the partisans until he death). Germans paid a price, S-28 suffered damages with 1 KIA, but S-40 suffered heavy damage because of direct 45mm hit (3 KIA, 10 WIA), requiring 11 months of repair.

Into northern Azov Sea, Soviet small units laid mines in the harbors of Mariupol and Yeisk before leaving between June and July 1942. Other mines laid close Kerch in July 1942. Axis forces suffered a number of losses. Close Mariupol: On 19 June 1942 fishing schooner n°2263 sunk with 2 collaborationist Ukrainian dead and 2 wounded. Mine laid by patrol boats SKA-038 and SKA-0118On 28 July 1942 a German Army Siebel class ferry sunk with heavy human losses. Mine laid by patrol boat SKA-0175. (Unknown details due lack of Army’s documents).On 16 August 1942 a German Luftwaffe’s Siebel class ferry sunk. Mine laid by patrol boat SKA-0175. (Unknown details due lack of Luftwaffe’s documents).

Close Kerch (mines laid by patrol boats SKA-016 and SKA-046 on 22 July 1942).On 12 December 1942 German Army Siebel class ferry sunk (once again, not known number because not part of Kriegsmarine).

SKA-0175 is now credited with 5 sinking on her fields (top single-score of sinking as minelayer from a Soviet warship during the conflict), including the only confirmed Croat naval loss due soviet naval action. Siebel craft ferries placed under control of Wehrmacht or Luftwaffe and while their losses was reported in Kriegsmarine diaries (survived at war) their identification numbers were not mentioned, and documents of local German forces were lost or destroyed.

1 August 1942Soviet motor torpedo boats D-3 and SM-3 attacked a group of anchored armed MFP barges. They launched torpedoes, sinking the German MFP F-334.

This pair of motor torpedo boats (both prototype) was very active and successful. SM-3 was a single prototype boat, alongside the similar D-3 (prototype and lead-ship of her numerous class), they were the longest-rage Soviet motor torpedo boats active in Black Sea often sailing together, despite being ironically competitors of their respective designs (SM-3 was a steel version of wooden D-3).

2 August 1942Soviet cruiser Molotov and the leader destroyer Kharkov were on bombing mission while they suffered a night attack of both German aircrafts and Italian motor torpedo boats. During the engagement a German He-111 bomber shot down by Molotov’s anti-aircraft fire (4./KG26, serial 4816, entire crew KIA) and MAS-568 received splinter damage (commander lightly wounded), while MAS-573 could not get close as the other unit.The Molotov was hit on the bow by a torpedo with extensive damages. For years the success was claimed by Italians as having sunk a cruiser (Red Crimea), while it’s seems also clear now that the German torpedo bombers were most likely responsible of the torpedoing. Italian claims to have inflicted damages to Kharkov with launch of depth charges at close range is completely wrong (ship suffered no damage).

23 October 1942Soviet motor torpedo boats TK-73 and SM-3 made a failed attack against the Dvuyakornaya harbor, they split and SM-3 remained alone while they were returning. German SM-3 motor torpedo boats S-26, S-28, S-49 and S-102 encountered and chased SM-3 but she opened fire causing light damages to S-49 (2 WIA, including commander badly injured).

5 November 1942German submarine U-24 missed the Soviet auxiliary minesweeper T-492 with two torpedoes and the scored one unexploded torpedo hit (dud).A surface engagement begun, with U-24 diving and retreating after machine guns hits on the tower.

1 December 1942The Soviet Navy decided to attempt raids of major warships on enemy shipping lines. However, the enemy intercepted the communications between the ships and destroyers Boikyi and Bezposhchadnyi found no real target because the enemy was on alert. They sighted in thick fog what they believed of being a small convoy but actually was just a group of rocks. The two ships fired many shells of 130mm and no less than 10 torpedoes are launched (first one and then other 6 by Bezposhchadnyi and then 3 by Boikyi). In the end, the Bezposhchadnyi claimed to have torpedoed a tanker and Boikyi claimed 2 merchants and an escort unit. No target attacked in reality and Germans even believed that Soviets fired each other among the fog. Also the cruiser Voroshilov had to take part in the raid, but was damaged by mine and forced to sail back under escort of destroyer Soobrazitelnyi after a brief shelling against Fidonisi Island (the shelling caused only light damages).

Photo of destroyer Boikyi.

13 December 1942Battle of FidonisiThe second attempt to intercept enemy convoy involved Soviet destroyer Soobrazitelnyi leading the Fugas-class minesweepers T-406, T-407, T-408 and T-412 avoiding interception by enemy stations. Surprise was achieved and they intercepted the convoy including Bulgarian merchant Tsar Ferdinand (1994 GRT) and Romanian merchant Oituz (2686 GRT) escorted by the Romanian torpedo boat NMS Smeul. The Soviets however had made the mistake to split the formation and only T-408 and T-412 could face the enemy. During the engagement, T-408 claimed a hit on the leading merchant, while T-412 claimed a hit on the NMS Smeul. Enemy data confirms no hits on their ships, while NMS Smeul opened fire with her 88mm and achieved no hits. At this point, a group of German minesweeping boats made aggressive maneuvers: R-class minesweeping boats were similar to the S-boats in appearance. The trick had success and the minesweepers distanced believing to be under attack by enemy motor torpedo boats (S-boats). The bad coordination (with the absence in battle of Soobrazitelnyi) and the overestimation of enemy forces caused the failure. Such kind of shyness in combat was a widespread issue for soviet destroyer’s action also in Baltic Sea and Arctic.

The Soviet Fugas-class minesweepers could have sunk the Romanian torpedo boat if the attack wasn’t stopped. She was slower, less armed and less protected.

19 December 1942Apart attempting raiding the Romanian waters in search for convoys, soviet major units were also involved in shelling ground targets. A number of attacks against enemy harbors in Crimea peninsula usually caused small military damages on some buildings due lack of precision and time. That night the Soviet Navy carried a coordinated attack with leader destroyer Kharkov and destroyer Boikyi shelling Yalta, while the old destroyer Nezamozhnik and torpedo boat Shkval shelled Fedosia. During the shelling of Fedosia, destroyer Nezamozhnik briefly opened fire against the harbor and scored a direct hit of 102mm on a small tug known just with the letter “D”: the shell completely destroyed and sunk the tug. It was a former soviet tug captured and used by the Germans.It has also proposed that the target’s identity was the coastal defense boat Delfin-4 (notice the similarities of “D” initial), but such theory dismissed by modern authors.

Rear-view photo of Nezamozhnik: her guns caused one of the few direct hits scored by soviet major warships during the conflict.

27 December 1942Soviet destroyers Soobrazitelnyi and Bezposhchadnyi made the third and last attempt to intercept enemy with support of four minesweepers. Like the first raid, the enemy intercepted the ships with radio-stations and ordered all ships to sail in harbor in time. Because of these orders, German merchant Saone (2183 GRT) accidentally grounded because of a rushed maneuver to enter harbor (recovered). Soviet warships found no potential target.

On the same day, the Soviet motor torpedo boat TK-35 launched depth charges and lightly damaged the German submarine U-9.

2 January 1943German MFP F-162 sunk in the Kerch Strait on a mine laid by Soviet patrol boat SKA-016

24 January 1943Soviet submarine ShCh-215 attacked an enemy convoy: after having missed the MFP (armed barges) F-125 and F-309 with torpedoes, she attacked on surface with gunfire and engaged battle. Light damage was caused on the tug Stralsund, while the towed barge L-1357 apparently suffered no extra damage (she was towed, having previously suffered damages due grounding). German also scored one hit on ShCh-215 (3 WIA).

27 February 1943A raid of German motor torpedo boats resulted into a relevant success: S-28, S-51, S-72 and S-102 attacked soviet ships while they were supplying the shore on the bridgehead at Myshako (Soviet forces were making multiple landing and supply-missions). Giving no time to the Soviets to react, the Germans managed to torpedo and sink the tug Mius and the minesweeper T-403 Gruz (Fugas-class), while the large gunboat Krasnaya Gruziya was badly damaged and grounded: she will be later finished by German coastal artillery and aircrafts.The fast attack gave no time for the Soviets to react, while the minesweeper was the only Fugas-class unit sunk in surface action during the war, the Krasnaya Gruziya was the largest soviet military warship to suffer such destiny without being recovered or repaired.

Photo of the gunboat after the attack: she was actually (as the others of her class) a multipurpose ship being able to act as landing ship and minelayer. She was armed with 3 guns of 130mm (in addition to 76,45 and 37mm) and could carry up to 180 mines.This ship was also the largest soviet warship ever lost by enemy surface action during the WW2 (no cruiser, destroyer, or other large gunboat, suffered the same fate).

31 March 1943German submarine U-24 (after successfully damaging the Soviet tanker Kreml with torpedo) was attacked with depth charges by Soviet minesweepers (Fugas-class) T-406 Iskatel, T-407 Mina and T-409 Garpun, with support of a pair of seaplanes MBR-2. The submarine was damaged and forced to return at the base.

Painting of minesweeper Mina

18 April 1943A night clash between the German R-35, R-36, R-165 and S-28, S-47, S-51, S-72 and S-102 against Soviet TK-76, TK-86, SKA-044, SKA-054, SKA-084. The fight caused damages on SKA-044 and TK-76. Often it’s claimed that SKA-054 was sunk in action but actually she was sunk on mine.A soviet MBR-2 seaplane caused the only German damage, on R-35.However, the Germans also sunk a pair of seiners and destroyed a pier.

20 April 1943During a clash against a group of German German R-boats, the Soviet motor torpedo boat TK-125 accidentally collided with the patrol boat SKA-075 and got damages.

22 April 1943The Italian motor torpedo boat MAS-566 reported to have been hit by an unexploded torpedo launched by enemy MTBs during a confused clash, involving also MAS-556, MAS-557 against Soviet TK-73 and TK-93. The events are still unclear because the Soviet motor torpedo boats reported to have attacked a barge.

23 April 1943No less than six clashes occurred during the night between German R-boats plus motor torpedo boat S-72, against soviet motor torpedo boats and patrol boats.During these engagements, the Soviet patrol boat SKA-084 was hit (6 WIA), and the German S-72 was hit by 45mm shell (without losses) and damaged.

25 April 1943During a skirmish between motor torpedo boats, the German S-102 suffered machine-guns hit while also the Soviet TK-33 was damaged.

20 May 1943During the night between 19 and 20 May, German motor torpedo boats S-49 and S-72 sunk the Soviet tug Pervansh and the barge n°75.Soviet patrol boat SKA-018 opened fire but without success: Soviet aircrafts attacked in numbers, 14 MBR-2, 10 Il-2 and 6 Yak-1. 2 Il-2 and 1 Yak-1 crashed on sea during the hunt, they managed to damage both the German units, S-49 had 1 KIA and 3 WIA, S-72 had 5 WIA.

27 May 1943During a short engagement, the Soviet patrol boat SKA-015, suffered very light damages, fighting against German small patrol boats. The boat had landed a recce team on enemy shore, it's possible that the small German boats suffered light damages but it's unconfirmed.

28 May 1943The soviet motor torpedo boat TK-106 launched six depth charges against the German submarine U-9, causing light damages, but not enough to force the enemy to stop her mission.

The line means "Muscovites Artisans", probably on reference to the fundraising to build the unit.

5 June 1943Once again, the Soviet patrol boat SKA-015 received damages (more seriously than on 27 May), during a failed attempt to land troops on coast.There were other Soviet units, but it's unclear if they were involved in battle (and it's even possible that SKA-015 got damage from shore's fire).Germans reported a small clash between their very small patrol boats (armed only with machine-guns) and enemy units.

13 June 1943A pair of Il-2 aircrafts and a seaplane MBR-2 detected and attacked German submarine U-24.Soviet motor torpedo boats TK-12 and TK-32 with the patrol boat SKA-062 rushed to attack the submarine and lightly damaged U-24 with depth charges.

14 June 1943In Azov Sea.Three days after the first (undisturbed) German bombing operation close Primorsko Akhtari, Soviets organized a better defense.Germans dispatched the auxiliary gunboats MAL-1, MAL-2 and MAL-3 with minesweeping boats R-30, R-163 and R-166.Soviets sent in battle first the patrol boat SKA-012, later the small gunboats BK-13 and BK-14.The only damage occurred was light damage on SKA-012, that suffered 2 WIA.Later also the small gunboat BK-61 joined the battle, but with no other effect on both sides.

20 June 1943In Azov Sea.Again into the Azov Sea, the Germans attempted a bombing at Yeisk. Auxiliary gunboats MAL-1, MAL-2 and MAL-3 were sent with minesweeping boats RA-51 and RA-56.They managed to bomb the target, damaging 8 houses, causing 1 dead and 9 wounded.The Soviet patrol boat SKA-015 and the small gunboats BK-121 and BK-122 attacked the enemy, but the only effect was just light damage on the same SKA-015.However the battle turned aerial because on the way back the Soviets sent 4 attack planes Kharkov R-10 (an uncommon kind of aircrafts), 6 Il-2 and a fighter P-39 (American-made). The aircrafts managed to strafe the enemy boats, but caused only two wounded (one badly). German fighters attacked the soviet ones: one R-10 and one Il-2 were shot down, while other 3 Il-2 were damaged. The German boats claimed they've shot down (by RA-56 fire) one Il-2, while the Germans admitted to have lost one of their fighter (probably shot down by the P-39).

29 June 1943A pair of German small patrol boats and later the armed landing barge (MFP) F-401 engaged in close combat against the soviet gunboats BK-112 and BK-113 (both of class 1124). BK-113 suffered 4 direct hits with 8 WIA, while BK-112 was also hit with 1 WIA.Germans suffered light damages on the F-401 and on the small patrol boat RT-01, suffering an amount of 2 WIA(one badly).

6 July 1943The Soviet patrol boat SKA-062 while returning after a mission was attacked by the German patrol boats S-28, S-40, S-47 and S-51.She was damaged (almost surely by S-28) suffering the commander and two other soldiers passengers KIA (the patrol boat had just recovered a team), in addition to 2 WIA. Despite these losses, she managed to fend-off the attack of the more numerous enemies, damaging S-47 at the engine and wounding the commander.During the night, the German motor torpedo boats had previously attacked and sunk the schooner Riza (120tons).

18 July 1943In Azov Sea.German auxiliary gunboats MAL-8, MAL-9, MAL-10 and MAL-11 had a clash during the night against the Soviet small gunboats BK-112, BK-113 and the patrol boat SKA-0412. During the previous night, the same soviet group had already clashed against two enemy MAL without effects.This time, a single hit caused light damage on the MAL-8, without human losses.

21 July 1943In Azov Sea.Soviets manage finally to repel an enemy bombing attempt. The attempts to bomb Primorsko Akhtari had caused previously only minimal damages: this time the attempt was made by the auxiliary gunboats MAL-8, MAL-11 and the minesweeping boat R-166.At first the very small soviet minesweeping boat n°179 faced alone the enemy, until spending all her ammunition, getting some damages with one wounded (was probably hit by R-166).Then attacked the small gunboats BK-111, BK-112, BK-113 and the patrol boats SKA-0412 and SKA-0712.This time the Soviets had superior numbers and attacked with energy, using most of the ammunition: SKA-0712 suffered light damages while SKA-0412 and BK-112 had the guns out-of-action due the excessive use.Soviet gunboats managed to score two direct hits with the main guns on R-166 that suffered heavy damages (2 KIA, 1 WIA), and had to be saved by the other ships to avoid sinking (later repaired).In addition, MAL-11 was damaged more lightly with 2 WIA and all the MAL's guns of 88mm were out-of-action due excessive use.

24 July 1943German tug Hoflein sunk on a mine close Temryuk, from a field laid by Soviet patrol boats SKA-0412 and SKA-0712.

1 August 1943In Azov SeaGerman minesweeping boat R-30 and auxiliary gunboats MAL-8, MAL-9, MAL-10 and MAL-11 with an additional escort of 3 S-boats attempted once again to bomb Primorsko Akhtari.They only managed to attack the small minesweeping boat KATSh-178 (she escaped unharmed) and were counter-attacked by the lonely SKA-0712 that despite the numerical disadvantage got no damage from the enemy and was supported by coastal artillery.Germans retreated and were attacked by gunboats BK-112 (1124 class) and BK-323 (S-40 class) (they were on mission to escort back SKA-0112, BK-111 and BK-121: these units were previously involved in coastal bombing and were unsuccessfully attacked by the German MFPs F-418 and F-467).Additionally, 4 soviet fighter-bombers Il-4 and 2 R-10 joined the clash.Despite the number of units involved, no Soviet unit suffered damage from enemy and only a rocket fired from Il-2 aircraft caused only minimal friendly fire damage on SKA-0712.Germans retreat, they had suffered only one hit on an S-boat (unknown which one, documents of that S-boat group for August 1943 are lost).

8 August 1943Soviet small gunboat BK-81 received some damages (4 WIA) fighting against three German motor torpedo boats.

11 August 1943Five German motor torpedo boats clashed against Soviet motor torpedo boats TK-95 and TK-102.During the battle, TK-95 sunk, while TK-102 suffered damages (6 WIA). It appears that also the patrol boat SKA-084 took part briefly but without damage: also the Germans suffered no damage or losses.

On the same day, the German submarine U-24 was lightly damaged by the Soviet patrol boat SKA-0111 that launched 23 depth charges.

SKA-0111 (at left).

18 August 1943In Azov Sea.The Germans took revenge for the failure of 21 July: the auxiliary gunboats MAL-1 and MAL-2 intercepted in open sea the small Soviet gunboats BK-123 and BK-133. This time the Germans fully exploited the better range of their 88mm guns and the more stable aiming (the soviet gunboat's forward turret wasn't a stable firing gun for open sea). Both the soviet gunboats where hit and sunk without Germans suffering from Soviet fire. 4 POW (all wounded except a young ship's boy of 10 years).

22 August 1943German submarine U-24 attacked on surface with gunfire the soviet patrol boat SKA-0188 that was towing the two small landing boats DB-36 and DB-37 (both just 7tons with only 3 crewmembers). The patrol boat was forced to cut the tows and leave, while U-24 managed to reach the two boats, capturing the 6 sailors (4 of them wounded), and destroying them with explosive charges.

23 August 1943German lighter L-2109 (cargo: artillery shell casings) sunk south-west of Taganrog, while under escort from two MAL gunboats, on a field of mines laid two days earlier by Soviet patrol boat SKA-0412 and gunboat BK-124.

24 August 1943German submarine U-23 had a gunfire clash with the soviet auxiliary patrol boat Shkval that was attacked also with hand grenades and explosive charges after that the submarine tried to ram the boat. Shkval sunk during such battle (3 KIA, 7 survivors escaped capture).

That same afternoon the Soviets made a raid on the Bay of Taganrog.The small gunboats BK-311 and BK-313 landed a team and engaged with the auxiliary gunboat MAL-1: they distanced and the German gunboat engaged at longer range the small gunboat BK-312 (class 1125) and BK-122 (class 1124). As happened on 18 August, the MAL exploited her longer range of the guns and managed to sink both the gunboats without suffer damage or losses: 7 soviet sailors POW.After the battle, soviet aircrafts strafed the group composed by the same gunboat MAL-1 joined by MAL-2, MAL-3, MAL-4, MAL-9 and the minesweeping boats R-30 and RA-52 escorting 5 barges: some damages are caused (unclear on which units), with 3 KIA and a number of wounded.

31 August 1943A group of German motor torpedo boats attacked the very small Soviet minesweeping boat RTShch-128 ("K-15 M-17" type). She was armed with just a single machine gun, but the Germans failed to sink her (causing only a single hit with light damage), after having spent most of the ammunition (also two guns of 20mm and one 40mm on the German units were out-of-action due excessive use).

1943Second Half: Autumn and WinterNOTE: Almost all the clashes occurred in November and December 1943 (with few exceptions as for the ASW actions) were fought during the Kerch–Eltigen Operation. The Red Army had carried an amphibious offensive and created two bridgeheads on the Crimean peninsula.Engagements occurred even daily but almost ever on night: sometimes units got involved in constant missions each night and sailors had barely time to sleep for days (because during day there were aerial and ground bombing).Germans dispatched defensive patrols of armed MFPs (artillery landing barges) at north, while R-boats were dispatched more south. S-boats operated more independently.Soviets attempted each night to deliver supplies or reinforcements, while Germans attempted to prevent it.Despite a number of losses, the actual result of the campaign (destruction of the southern bridgehead, but preservation of the northern one: bringing at last to a Soviet strategic victory) was most affected by aerial bombings and artillery barrages on both sides, that scored an higher number of results both on Soviets and German units.

26 September 1943German MFPs F-302 and F-315 clashed against four Soviets MO-4 patrols and other small units. The soviet patrol boat SKA-022 was heavily engaged during the battle: Soviets got no damage or losses and both F-302 and F-315 had 1 KIA each.

28 September 1943German motor torpedo boats S-28, S-42, S-45 and S-49 claimed to have sunk with torpedoes at least 3 merchants, but actually they sunk the small minesweeping boats Nord-Vest and n°155. In addition, the small motorboat n°58 and the watch cutter KM n°076 suffered damages from splinters.

29 September 1943Soviet motor torpedo boats TK-12 and TK-33 clashed against a group of German R-boats: during the fight, TK-12 was damaged, the commander KIA and 2 other sailors WIA.

5 - 6 October 1943Soviet leader destroyer Kharkov and destroyers Besposhchadnyi and Sposobnyi operated in enemy waters when they were attacked by the German motor torpedo boats S-28, S-42 and S-45: in the previous year, German S-boats had already launched torpedoes against Soviet destroyers, but there was no real fighting. This time the torpedoed missed but a Soviet shell of 45mm from Besposhchadnyi (sometimes it’s said Sposobnyi) damaged S-45 and the Germans retreated. However the next day, Germans carried large air attacks against the soviets ships and all of them, Kharkov, Besposhchadnyi and Sposobnyi sunk. The loss of three main units was both a material blow but also a psychological one: Stalin was personally dissatisfied and prevented further major warships operations in Black Sea to prevent further losses. Soviet sources claimed to have shot down a number of German aircrafts but this is wrong: the only German loss was a seaplane BV-138 (1./SAGr125, serial 130110) shot down by 3 Soviet P-40 “Kittyhawk” fighters: five airmen were captured by Sposobnyi and later died alongside most of the soviet sailors.

Besposhchadnyi

6 October 1943German motor torpedo boats S-28, S-42, S-51 and S-52 were on search for soviet survivors from the sinking of Kharkov’s group: they met a group of Soviet patrol boats that were pursuing the same mission. SKA-015 strafed successfully the German group with a number of hits: S-28 suffered a direct hit of 45mm, S-52 had minor damage due splinters, S-42 had a gun out of service (unclear if by accident or by damage). Soviets suffered no damage or casualty.

22 and 24 October 1943German submarine U-24 suffered little damage due a depth charge launched on 22 October, when was moving to attack the convoy of the auxiliary minesweeper T-505.Two days later, she suffered a heavier attack from the Fugas-class minesweepers T-401 Tral and T-412 Arseniy Raskin and the MO-4 class patrols SKA-082, SKA-0102, SKA-0122 that launched 59 charges: the submarine got again minor damages, not enough to interrupt the mission.

3 November 1943A confusing engagement during the night between 2 and 3 November, saw SKA-081 together the motor torpedo boat TK-43 fighting against a group of German MFPs: both F-446 and F-578 got minor damages during the action, without damage or casualties for the Soviets.

4 November 1943Multiple night-clashes between 3 and 4 November, against German MFPs saw the soviets SKA-101 and SKA-0112 in action, and the last one was damaged with some killed and wounded. Later, a bloody battle was fought with TK-101 attacked and sunk at close range (with 2 hits of 37mm and launch of hand grenades) by German minesweeping boats R-37, R-204 and R-216. All the three German units were also damaged during the last-stand of TK-101 and the Germans suffered 2 KIA, 1 WIA (serious) and a number of lightly wounded. It was present that night TK-81 that was damaged but managed to escape.During the night, the same group of German R-boats possibly sunk during a separate engagement the Soviet patrol boat SKA-053 and the small minesweeping boat n°524 (both used to supply the beachhead).

7 November 1943During the night between 6 and 7 November, there were 2 separate clashes.German minesweeping boats R-37, R-204 and R-216 has success during a series of confusing engagements with scattered soviet units: the smaller minesweeping boat KATSh-526 was damaged, while among a group of small landing crafts, n°36 and n°65 were sunk, n°55 was damaged and n°76 (that was lost) was almost surely another victim of the three R-boats. In the northern sector, MFPs has less success: F-316, F-446 and F-578 fought against the small gunboats BK-81 and BK-323, and all got minor damages, alongside the second soviet unit. F-335 had not took part at the fight because has been previously hit and damaged by ground artillery.

The less common class of S-40 gunboats fought well against the enemy MFPs.

8 November 1943During the night between 7 and 8 November, another clash saw the German MFPs and R-boats against the soviet patrols SKA-023, SKA-081, SKA-0122 and small gunboat BK-26. SKA-0122 sunk and SKA-081 suffered damages.

10 November 1943Once again, only MFPs engaged a convoy that was moving to re-supply the beachhead. Soviets units involved were the SKA-082, SKA-0102 and the motor torpedo boats TK-96 and TK-114Each Soviet motor torpedo boat suffered one hit but without heavy damages.A small Soviet landing craft accidentally capsized and was lost.

Photo of SKA-0102 with visible damages: actually she's known to have not recorded damage after this fight, but it's possible that this photo has been took during the day of 9 November, after the previous night battle (the SKA could have got emergency repairs for the night's action between 9/10 November.)

11 November 1943Soviet motor torpedo boats TK-96 and TK-114, together SKA-098, escorted another convoy of 2 pontoons, 2 barges, 2 floating barges and one SKA and two BK with also 6 small minesweeping boats, all used as transports. The convoy was attacked by 3 motor torpedo boats and 5 minesweeping boats: almost all the soviet units (including gunboat BK-433) of the convoy were reached by the German fire, even if none was lost, they suffered heavy human losses among the infantry carried on the decks. Among the escort, TK-96 suffered 4 hits of 37mm and TK-114 suffered self-inflicted damage due an accident while launching a torpedo against the enemy.

15 November 1943Four German R-boats attacked a mixed group of soviet units. During the clash, the small gunboat BK-306 was damaged as the patrol boat SKA-018, but also the German minesweeping boat R-207 suffered a 45mm direct hit under the waterline and was to be towed away.

17 November 1943Soviet motor torpedo boats TK-76, TK-86 and TK-104 engaged German MFPs. During a number of skirmishes, F-535 suffered moderate damages as all the soviet units. However, on the way back after the mission, TK-76 sunk after striking a mine.

Photo of TK-86 (note the rockets for ground bombing).

18 November 1943German MFPs sunk the Soviet small motorboat n°35 .

20 November 1943Soviet patrol boats SKA-031, SKA-0141 and SKA-0512 supported by a seaplane Chye-2, attacked with depth charges the German submarine U-18. The submarine got a number of serious damages and was forced to return at harbor. It was the only confirmed case of an enemy U-boat in Black Sea to have been forced to return home with heavy damages after a Soviet depth-charging attack. Submarine was kept on repairs until 25 January 1944.

Photo of SKA-0141 (here damaged). The successful attack was achieved with support of a seaplane Chye-2: an uncommon aircraft.

21 November 1943Soviet motor torpedo boats TK-94 and TK-114 with the small gunboat BK-321 escorted five armed motor-barges (PVO-12, PVO-20, PVO-24, PVO-25 and PVO-29) and a minesweeping boat. 3 enemy MFPs attacked and even if the m.t.b claimed one torpedo hit, this didn’t happen. During the fight the soviet motor-barge PVO-29 was badly damaged, but the Germans reported a number of wounded and damages on F-521 and F-573. Later PVO-12 and PVO-20 were destroyed by enemy coastal artillery.

TK-114, later renamed TK-393, took part at two consecutive engagements without suffering damages.

23 November 1943Soviet motor torpedo boat TK-114 was again on sea together BK-306, escorting 4 motor-barges and a landing craft. Germans sent MFPs and the F-472 suffered light damages. The soviet motor-barge PVO-27 was hit, beached and lost. The soviet motor-barge PVO-28 and the German F-594 collided (both said to have rammed the enemy) and both suffered damages (F-594 already lightly damaged in battle). Soviets suffered also light damages on BK-306 and on the small landing craft KATSh-5385. Insignificant damages also on other German MFPs.

Photo of gunboat BK-306, that was later renamed BK-314. She was of 1124 class.

26 November 1943The night between 25 and 26 November was very bitter for the Soviets.German MFPs intercepted the motor-barges PVO-11, PVO-13, PVO-24 and PVO-26, the minesweeping boat n°81, the landing crafts n°12 and n°20. Even if the PVO were armed, there was no TKA, SKA or BK to protect them. PVO-24 was rammed and sunk. PVO-26, PVO-11 and PVO-13 suffered damages but beached (recovered) to avoid sinking. The worst blow was the human losses because the PVOs were full of troops: there were 41 KIA and 30 WIA.On German side, the MFP F-135 was the most active in battle; she too received damage after a direct hit from mortar fire from the coast (commander KIA).

Photo of PVO-11

5 December 1943During the night between 4 and 5 December, there were at least 3 engagements.German MFPs F-342, F-305, F-578, F-395, F-401 and F-447 attacked a soviet convoy: the small minesweeping boats RTSh-415 and RTSh-398, the pontoon n°3, the landing craft DB-5 (towed). The motor torpedo boat TK-96 and the armed motor-barges PVO-21, PVO-25, PVO-28 and PVO-29 escorted the convoy.The battle was violent: RTSh-398 sunk, as well as the pontoon n°3, while RTSh-415 and PVO-28suffered damages. On their side, Germans suffered damages on F-342 that was forced to leave with 1 KIA and 8 WIA (among them one badly wounded, a lightly wounded officer was the group’s commander).

PVO were classified as AA barges but they were actually multipurpose boats. Their class (project 165) was designed and built during the war and 20 of the 40 units built were actively used during the 1943 actions: 8 were lost, also due mine and storm, but proved to be useful and resistant (for example, all the units beached on 26 November, were recovered).

7 December 1943German MFPs sunk the soviet minesweeping boat n°105. During the night, the patrol boats SKA-031 and SKA-0141 had been grounded due bad weather, they managed to free themselves, but could not took part at the engagement.

8 December 1943German minesweeping boats R-196, R-208 and R-216 engaged the lonely patrol boat SKA-036: the soviet unit managed to escape undamaged, she also scored a direct hit on R-196 under the waterline. Germans had to tow away the damaged boat to avoid her sinking.

10 December 1943Very unclear engagement during the night between German MFPs and Soviet landing crafts. Germans claimed up to 9 targets sunk, but they were actually only 2 and were hit by coastal artillery. German MFP F-333 suffered a direct hit, and it seems it was caused by Soviet coastal artillery.It is very likely that coastal artillery of both sides opened fire at the ships, with possibility of multiple friendly-fire accidents.

30 December 1943Soviet motor torpedo boats TK-44 and TK-85 had 2 clashes against a same group of German MFPs: on the second engagement, both of them suffered damages.

NOTE: Naval war in Black Sea ended in early summer 1944. As for the last war during 1945 in Baltic Sea, there is a lack of German official documents, due destruction or disappear.

5 March 1944Patrol boats SKA-042 and SKA-082 clashed against German motor torpedo boats. SKA-042 suffered a direct hit with damage and 1 wounded.

7 March 1944Soviet motor torpedo boat TK-24 left behind by a group of other motor torpedo boats and attempted to enter (by mistake) into the enemy harbor of Ak Mechet: she was quickly surrounded by a group of German MFPs and after a quick clash forced to surrender. The crew was captured but the TK-24, despite being put in tow by Germans, was sunk (probably due leaks caused by fight or self-inflicted by Soviets before the capture, to cause the loss of the boat).

5 April 1944German submarine U-23 clashed against two Soviet patrol boats on surface: during the fight the SKA-099 was damaged.

27 April 1944Soviet motor torpedo boats TK-332, TK-343 and TK-344 made the first true Soviet m.t.b group attack against an enemy convoy in Black Sea, during the enemy naval evacuation of Crimea. They attacked a mixed Romanian/German group and a torpedo from TK-344 hit the German submarine chaser UJ-104 that was split in two. Germans will manage to keep afloat the bow, but the unit was obviously a total loss and the bow was later scuttled (other sources wrongly reported that it was sunk by Soviet aircrafts or sunk while on tow). However the attackers paid a price because TK-332 was hit and sunk by the gunfire from the convoy. It’s impossible to say who sunk the motor torpedo boats: Romanians make a claim from their corvette NMS Sublocotenant Ghigulescu, but actually many units opened fire, including German MFPs. Reports that the same Romanian corvette suffered light losses due strafing are wrong (such losses occurred due air raid, and not that day).

Photo of UJ-104 after the torpedo hit. It can be seen how the ship lost part of the stern.

8 May 1944A second successful Soviet motor torpedo boats raid included TK-304 and TK-344, led by the veteran single-ship SM-3 (that was very active in 1942). They attacked the rear of a little convoy and a torpedo hit and sunk the German barge Elbe-5 (1188 GRT). According Soviet sources, the motor torpedo boats also sunk with gunfire two motorboats: sometimes these are said to be the G-3102 and Cornelis Anni. However the first unit was almost surely hit by Soviet ground artillery and scuttled by Germans, while also Cornelis Anni was possibly sunk by coastal artillery. Due the end of the war (in Black Sea) German documents were lost, so there is a lack of details. Old Soviet sources wrongly claimed that the barge was sunk by submarine ShCh-202

11 May 1944Soviet torpedo boat Shtorm was torpedoed and badly damaged by German submarine U-9, but didn’t sunk. She was the most important Soviet military ship torpedoed by submarine in Black Sea, and the second-ever most important during the conflict, after the destroyer Razyaryonnyi that was torpedoed and damaged by submarine in Arctic.

Photo of Shtorm: there were only 2 Soviet torpedo boats in Black Sea.

12 May 1944Soviet motor torpedo boat TK-301, that was sailing together TK-354, torpedoed and sunk the already damaged (by aircrafts) and abandoned, Romanian minelayer Romania. Even if the victory should be considered shared with the Aviation, still the minelayer was the largest ever (even if not the most important) enemy warship sunk by Soviet motor torpedo boat: the ship was a former merchant with 4500 tons of weight and 108 meters of length.

Photo of Romania (larger ship). From (c) Navypedia

On that same day, Soviet submarine S-33 shelled the German MFP F-130 with gunfire. Submarine had to dive because of enemy aircraft and once it surfaced, the MFP was found abandoned. It appears that the already damaged MFP was manned by skeleton-crew that abandoned the ship once shelled. The S-33 turned unique because the submarine managed to board the MFP and take trophies including a Kriegsmarine flag. Finally the submarine finished the craft and sunk her.S-33 survived the war having sunk also a Romanian merchant, before sinking of F-130.

17 May 1944 German submarine U-9 lightly damaged after a failed attack against a Soviet convoy: the counter-attack was done by a Soviet seaplane MBR-2 alongside unidentified submarine chasers of MO-4 class.

Painting of a MO-4 class on escort duty. While in Black Sea no enemy submarine sunk by depth charges, German U-boats caused only limited damages to the Soviet shipping lines, abandoning many attacks due strong escort. The newly built Romanian submarines Rechinul and Marsuinul could not achieve success in 1944 for the same reason.

22 August 1944The last action: Soviet motor torpedo boats TK-221, TK-223, TK-227 and TK-233 attacked a pair of German submarine chasers (UJ) but they evaded the torpedoes, TK-227 was badly damaged by counter-fire (3 KIA, 5 WIA). Sadly it's unknown the identity of the German ships, because loss of documents.It's interesting to know that the motor torpedo boats were former Allied Vosper-class that had been served in Arctic and had just been moved to Black Sea: this was the only engagement they took part in this new naval front (TK-221 already took part at battle in Arctic, on 29 April 1944).

UPDATE: added losses caused by mines laid by soviet small ships in Azov Sea (1942). Multiple losses caused by the single unit SKA-0175. First and only confirmed Croat naval loss due soviet minelaying action in Black Sea. Research concluded in 2016 with help of russian author Miroslav Morozov (site tsushima.su) and direct check of Kriegsmarine war diaries.

UPDATES: Inserted some Romanian-sources based info of alleged clashes (no confirmation of Soviet data). Added 3 separate mine victories (January, August and July 1943), added 1 riverine minor success in August 1941. Refine some data of 2/Aug/42 and 6/Oct/43 (update anticipate some data for the Anti-Aircraft successes. A major updates will fully cover it in future).